Cotton cleaneb



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T SELF COTTON CLEANER Flled July 5 1925 Nov. 2 1926.

INVENTOR.

Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,788

T. SELF v COTTON CLEANER File July 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 2, 192 6.

UNITED. STATES moms SELF, on

csjoerme; TEXAS.

oo'rron Crimea.

Application filed July 3,

This invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning cotton and for distributing the same to various gin stands, wl'ierei'n the cotton is fed verticallyby gravity from one end of the machine to the other, and while in transit, is subjected to the action of a series of beater arms by which the cotton is projected against a screen wall with suf ficient force to s'eparatethe shale, dirt, sand and the like, from the cotton and force the same through the screenwall into the refuse receptacle whichencircl'es the screen wall.

The cotton in its transit through the cleaner isvibrated with the result of fluffing up the same to increase the workability of the material; At the lower end. the cleaner is provided with outlets leading to 1 gin stands. and controlled by gates so that any one or moreof the stands may be cut oil from the supply when desired.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which: I t

Fig. 1 is a View in verticalsectionofthe improved cleaner. 7 i i Fig; 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig-Q 1:

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig.1.

The improved cleaner comprises an imperforate outer metallic cylinder 1, closed at the. top and bottom 2 and 3 except as here inafter provided for. lVithin the cylinder 1, and extending throughout the length thereof in spaced concentric relation therewith, is an annular wall of screen material, hereinafter referred to as the screen cylinder 4. A shaft 5 extends through the bottom of the outer cylinder, being mounted in appropriate bearings 6 and 7 in the bottom and top of such cylinder, and being driven through cooperating bevel pinions 8 actuated from a power shaft 9. Above the bottom 3 of the outer cylinder, the shaft 5 is rectangular in cross section, and at appropriate intervals throughout the length of such shaft within the cylinder are arranged beater arms 10. Each arm is in the form of a bar, which at its free end extends more or less close to the screen cylinder 4, its opposite end being shaped to embrace the shaft 5 and extend therebeyond. The companion and diametrically opposite arm is similarly formed, and the extended portions are connected together by bolts 11, whereby the arms may be adjusted relative to each other lengthwise the shaft 5, and conveniently removed and replaced when necessary. The

successive arms longitudinally of the shaft 5 1925. Serial its) 41,413.

are in right angle relation, the alternate arms being thus in the same plane.

Baflie plates 12 are secured at appropriate intervals to the screen wall lythese plates being arranged intermediate the beater arms and extending for -short distances circumfen entially of the screen wall; these battle plates being preferably arrangedin a spiral paththroughout the length of the screen Wall. The raw material is admittedto the interior of the screen wall through the top? 2of the outer cylinder bymea'nsof a conduit 13in communication with anioutlet from a sac tion fan 15, the inlet of which (not shown) may be directed to any source of supplyas a wagon or the like" in which the cotton has been brought to the cleaner. An air outlet 16 leadsfrom the fan and has a 'screenwall 17 between such outlet and the cotton feed conduit 13. Thus a considerableportionof the air is permitted toescape', while a part-is utilized to exert a downward pressure upon the cotton in the cleaner; :The bottom 3 of the outercylinder within the planeof the screen wall 1 is formed with outlets 18 controlle'd b y sliding gates 19. The outlets 18 lead-through conduits 20 to gin stands-21. Of course it is tobe understood that any number of gin stands may be employed and that the gates control the delivery of cotton to the selected gin stands, as may be desired.

The bottom 3 of the outer cylinder exteriorly of the screen wall 1 is formed with refuse openings 22, by which the dirt driven beyond the screen wall in the cleaning of the cotton may be directed to conduits 23 for discharge.

The cotton'delivered to the cleaner under pressure is directed lengthwise the same by gravity and pressure. During this travel, the cotton is subjected to the action of the beater arms, being projected more or less violently against the screen wall to thereby break up and force from the cotton the con-- tained dirt or refuse, which by the centrifugal force generated, is driven through the screen wall and falls as refuse to the opening 22. The cotton in its descent is interrupted in its direct travel by the baflie plates 12 so that each and every portion will receive a proper treatment by the beater arms.

The action of the heaters tends to shatter and break up partly open bolls, particularly when such bolls are driven against the baffie plates, so that the improved cleaner also serves as a boll breaker. The improved cleaner is effective not only as a cleaner, but by reason of the breaking action and complete efliciency in properly treating the cotton, the use of the present cleaner eliminates the requirement of independent hollbreak ers, the usual cumbersome distributor, the usual air cut-0H valve, and the elaborate system of pipes, belts, and pulleys usually employed in the operation of the diiferent types of these previously employed a machines. a 1,

(llaims:

1. A cotton cleaner comprising a vertically arranged imperforate outer cylinder substantially closed at the upper and lower ends, an open ended screen cylinder'secured di rectly to and extending between the upper and lower ends of the outer cylinder, said screen cylinder being spaced from the outer cylinder to provide an annular refuse passage, a shaft extending longitudinally of and mounted in the upper and lower ends of the outer cylinder, beater arms carried by the shaft and having a length slightly less than the diameter of the screencylinder, the upper end of the. outer cylinder. within the plane of the screen cylinder; being formed with a cotton inlet, the? bottom of the .outer cylinder within the plane of the screen cylinder being formed with cotton outlets, and the bottom of the vouter cylinder in the plane between the screen cylinderand: outer cylinder being formed with refuse outlets.

' longitudinally of and Within the screen cylinder, a series of beater arms carried by said shaft, and bafiies carried by the screen cylinder and projecting inwardly thereof, outlets for the cotton formed in the bottom of the outer cylinder and communicating with the screen cylinder, gates controlling said outlets, and conduits leading from the respective outlets with independent gin stands.

3. A cotton cleaner comprising a vertically arranged imperforate outer cylinder, a screen cylinder arranged within and spaced from the Walls ofthe outer-cylinder, a pressure inlet for the cotton at the upper end of the screen cylinder, gate controlled outlets for the cotton at the lower end of the screen cylinder, and refuse outlets at the lower end of the outer cylinder and communicating with the space between the outer cylinder and screen cylinder.

4. A cottonv cleaner comprising a vertical 1y arranged imperforate outer cylinder, a screen cylinder arranged within-and spaced from the walls of the outer cylinder, a pressure inlet for the cotton at the upper end of the screen cylinder, gate controlled outlets for the cotton at the lower end of the screen cylinder, and refuse outlets at the lower end of the outer cylinder and communicating with the space-between the outer cylinder and screen cylinder, an operating shaft mounted in the top and bottom of the outer cylinder, beater arms removably secured to said shaft and operating within the screen cylinder, and baffle plates carried by the screen cylinder intermediate the arms.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

os. SELFQ [n 8. 

